FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield saw fewer thefts and car accidents in 2012 compared to 2011, but more assaults and investigations were reported, according to data from the Fairfield Police Department.

Fairfield Police responded to 42,095 calls in 2012, about 827 more than the year before. This number covers every incident involving or reported to Fairfield Police in the year 2012. These range from mundane calls like funeral escorts and parking tickets, to high-profile incidents like public deaths and major arrests.

Fairfield Police responded to 1,388 theft-related cases in 2011, factoring in burglaries, robberies and shoplifting incidents, among others. That number fell to 1,339 in 2012, according to the department’s raw statistics.

More specifically, the number of burglaries and burglary attempts reported dropped slightly for the year, from 203 in 2011 to 201 in 2012. Shoplifting cases, however, rose from 184 to 209 year-to-year, according to the data. Simple larcenies, which involve theft without force, also increased from 416 to 511.

Car break-ins and thefts were down slightly from 2011. The number of car thefts dropped in 2012 from 362 to 2011’s 346. Vehicle vandalism cases, which include windows broken in burglary attempts, also fell from 127 to 83, according to the data. Fairfield Police have increased patrols in frequently targeted areas to cut down on the number of car burglaries.

“Patrols in the areas being targeted have been increased since Day 1,” the Fairfield Police said via Facebook. “This includes marked and unmarked units, foot and bike patrols, plain clothes officers and detectives, etc. We are asking the public to help by locking their cars, protecting their own valuables and reporting any suspicious activity to us.”

The number of car accidents and traffic stops handled by Fairfield Police in 2012 dropped dramatically. The town’s roads went from 2,604 crashes in 2011, including 77 with injuries, to 2,280 total and 172 involving injuries last year. Reported traffic stops dropped from 11,409 to 6,109 in the same span.

One area where police saw more incidents last year compared to 2011 was investigations, which include cases of identity theft, financial scams and other fraud attempts. Police records show 2,655 such cases in 2011, compared to 2,839 in 2012.

Fairfield Police suggest that residents avoid giving out personal information over the phone or Internet and to be careful with financial documents to prevent this type of crime from rising further.

“It could take months or years to learn you are a victim,” the Police Department’s guide reads. “Some people don’t find out until they apply for a loan and get turned down because of a bad credit report.”

The number of assaults and breaches of the peace, which includes both verbal and physical fights, also climbed last year. Fairfield Police received reports of 101 assaults and 700 breaches of the peace in 2012, compared with 95 and 663, respectively, in 2011. The number of noise complaints also rose, from 378 to 428.